Our election to the UN Human Rights Council is a sign of confidence in Germany and an acknowledgment of our unwavering policy on human rights around the world. We are grateful for the worldwide support of our candidacy and for the excellent election result. Even 70 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, its underlying promise of dignity and personal freedom remains out of reach for many people.
Especially in times when many other states are pursuing policies of isolationism, Germany is standing up to protect and promote human rights around the world. Human rights are at the foundation of German foreign policy. In the Human Rights Council, we will work hard to foster inclusive, transparent dialogue and to strengthen multilateral dialogue.
In 2020, we will be a member of both the Human Rights Council and the Security Council. We understand this entails great responsibility. We will openly speak out against human rights violations in both Councils.

For us, the Human Rights Council is the primary international institution for protecting human rights and for developing human rights standards. This body is more instrumental than ever in light of new human rights challenges such as climate change, migration and artificial intelligence, which can be solved only within a multilateral framework. We look forward to actively addressing these challenges with our partners both within and outside the EU.